Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States in 2009. Radical prostatectomy (complete
removal of the prostate) is the most common treatment for prostate cancer, however, differentiating prostate tissue from
adjacent bladder, nerves, and muscle is difficult. Improved visualization could improve oncologic outcomes and
decrease damage to adjacent nerves and muscle important for preservation of potency and continence. A novel Stokes
polarimetry imaging (SPI) system was developed and evaluated using a dog prostate specimen in order to examine the
feasibility of the system to differentiate prostate from bladder. The degree of linear polarization (DOLP) image maps
from linearly polarized light illumination at different visible wavelengths (475, 510, and 650 nm) were constructed. The
SPI system used the polarization property of the prostate tissue. The DOLP images allowed advanced differentiation by
distinguishing glandular tissue of prostate from the muscular-stromal tissue in the bladder. The DOLP image at 650 nm
effectively differentiated prostate and bladder by strong DOLP in bladder. SPI system has the potential to improve
surgical outcomes in open or robotic-assisted laparoscopic removal of the prostate. Further in vivo testing is warranted.